Passage of the Stars
by Elira
Summary: R for future stuff. This is the inspired ending of Link to the Stars that was removed. I have permission from the author. Starfire has a secret and now everyone knows. Will Robin stand by her? Will she survive? Updated!
1. Scar Zone

Chapter One:: Scar Zone  
  
Every step she took was beginning to sound the same, the humdrum she was used to in the palace of Tamaran and she had yet to leave the ship. Was she really going to give up this easy? No. No way. That wasn't Starfire, at least, not any more. Living with the Titans was a new experience for her, it made her stronger, and it made her realize that life wasn't about pleasing others with things you don't want to do. She knew she didn't want to be here with the woman she once idolized. Aunt Purefire was a beautiful, strong, and compassionate person. Starfire had once wanted to be like her, but every time she thought about getting closer that was when Blackfire would get in the way and she would slip back into old ways. Suddenly Starfire wondered if Blackfire had been doing this on purpose...did Blackfire know how Uncle Redfire and Purefire truly were beneath their skin of kindness? That would explain a lot about her uncle and aunt's behavior over time. They were never completely the same with her as they were with everyone else on Tamaran, but she had told herself that was because she looked and acted too much like her mother or possibly that they even loved her more. Now she wasn't as certain. She glanced out of the corner of her eye at the distinguished woman on her left, hoping to see a ray of sunshine that meant she was going to be able to get away and get to Robin before it was too late. But Purefire wasn't interested in being lovey or friendly even. She looked straight ahead and walked as though she had a book on her head. Starfire's shoulders slumped. This was hopelessly impossible.  
  
"Good, cause as I seem to remember doing the impossible before." The words rang through her head like a gong. Nightwing's words, though not exactly the same, were coming back to her. Encouragement? Hope? A plea bargain from the future? What would happen to the Titans if she gave up now and went home forever? No, home was on earth. She'd rather live in poverty on earth than rule in wealth on Tamaran, that was certain, though she did love her home. The boy next to her cleared his throat quietly and drew her attention. He was the one that had fired those orange starbolts at her and Raven and the one who had dried her tears. He was nice. She could use that and then later she could save him from punishment with a decree from earth, but getting away and through him was the problem. She watched the tiles on the carpet move underneath her as she began to formulate a plan.  
  
Meanwhile Robin was tossing in his silky sheets. Everytime he moved the name Starfire reverberated through his head and tingles of her touch prickled his skin. She had been here just the night before. Where was she now? Was she hurting? Crying? No doubt she was scared...who would've done it? Who would've taken her when they were so far away from earth and had no enemies? Slade couldn't reach all the way up here, could he? He rolled over on his side and the stars greeted him brightly through the window. Star...his mind went back to the unanswerable questions. What if she was in some place dark and cold with no bed or no food. Starfire hadn't eaten anything in the last two days, he was getting worried about her as it was. This was making it worse. He could hear Cyborg's restless snoring. He only did that when his mind was overwhelmed with dark thoughts, and Beast Boy kept screaming out incomprehensible words that didn't connect. He was obviously worried too, not just for Star, but for Raven who had disappeared. What would make Raven do that anyway? Was the attack that bad? Was Starfire hurt when it was over? Did she die???? Robin jolted up in bed and made a dash for his clothes and utility belt. Starfire had been smiling before the camera went out on the video tapes they watched earlier. What if she was coming to tell him something? Those words he was longing to hear..."I'm in love with you"....he loved her so desperately he couldn't communicate it with her. He couldn't think clearly when she was around because all he wanted to do was touch her, be close to her, and comfort her. If someone had taken that away from him before he could truly reach the peak of their emotions for each other...he didn't know what he'd do. But someone would pay. He would guarantee that. As he clipped on his belt he heard Beast Boy toss over in his uncomfortable bed. A pang of guilt and sorrow filled him at the same time. The only reason his were so soft was because Starfire wanted him to sleep on good and comfortable sheets because she was worried for him. He glanced back out the window at the stars and pleaded with whatever God there was to make her safe and most importantly alive.  
  
Raven was watching those same stars, though through the cracked glass of her and Starfire's room. She was thinking about how careless she'd been with Starfire's feelings in the past and how thoughtless she had approached her secret. Starfire wouldn't have acted that way if she had admitted her emotions for Beast Boy. She would have done everything in her physical power to bring them together and make them all a happy family, because that was just the way Starfire was. Motherly and sisterly at the same time, enough to make you feel cozy but also enough to make you feel like you weren't alone. No wonder Robin loved her. She actually felt sorry for him at that thought. He didn't even know how much he loved her or how much she loved him. They knew they cared but did they know that they would willing give up their lives to save the other or commit murder for harming their beloved? If Starfire never came back that was the one thing she could do for Robin. She could tell him how much she cared and how hard she fought this responsiblity being shoved on her. Then she would tell the others about how Daraow had deceived and used them to get to Starfire and she honestly, without clouding her emotions in the slightest, hoped he would die for his transgression at the hand of a Titan who always wore a mask. It was only fitting after all.  
  
She rose from where she had been sitting silently and pushed her hood off of her head. She had heard nothing from the others for nearly six hours. Were they searching for Starfire? Had Daraow gotten to them? Were they after Pludunn again? Pludunn....Daraow said he wanted him out of the way too. Maybe this Pludunn could help them in some way. She'd run that past Robin too and she'd do it within the next hour. Determinedly finding herself more and more longing for the sight of the red head and the sound of her voice happy again Raven's footsteps got harder and harder. The boys were in for a rude awakening once she arrived.  
  
Starfire leapt suddenly to her right and dived toward the ground. Purefire wailed in fury and fright, calling for the Princess to be captured before she could get away. Starfire mentally praised Robin for all of her training days, especially the private lessons he had started before the Super Computer started up. She dodged starbolt after starbolt, fired several that knocked down full grown men, and zippped out of view of the others. Her mind was reading two words "Robin's room" as she flew faster than she had ever flown before. She prayed he would be there, that the Tamaranian guards couldn't defeat Cyborg and the others and that she could still be with her friends by the end of the night. She wasn't giving up now! She was loose, there was hope! A smile crept it's way to her face and her emerald eyes glowed with a new sparkle.  
  
Raven lifted into the air. Every inch she moved, she felt like she could feel Starfire coming nearer. It was a freaky thing that she had learned to control when they switched bodies, but it was helpful in times like this. She could almost even hear shouts, but that was impossible right, it was one o'clock in the morning. But she was certain she was hearing them. She stopped as she turned a corner at the intersection of the halls and listened. It was coming from one of the other halls. Could it be Starfire?? She turned just in time to see a flash of green and red smash into her.  
  
Starfire shrieked as she spotted Raven's figure last second. She had gotten so far ahead she could think of nothing else but to get even farther away, but when she saw Raven she associated that with Robin and stopped too late. The impact knocked them both to the floor and Raven groaned painfully.  
  
"Get off!" she said and Starfire grunted as she weakly lifted off of her friend.  
  
"Raven! I am...glad to see you," she smiled. Her smile was weak, defeated, tired. Raven could have at that moment taken her red headed friend into her arms and soothed her, but the voices she had heard were gradually getting louder.  
  
"Starfire, what happened? Did you get away?" she asked. Starfire stood extremely slowly, favoring her right side as she covered it with her hands. She noddded.  
  
"Yes, I managaed to escape before they could transfer me into my quarters. I must find Robin!" she said and Raven nodded.  
  
"Yea sure, but what happened to your side?" she demanded. Starfire gingerly removed her hands from blocking the view of Raven's eyes. Blood dripped down between her fingers and over the rim of her skirt. She'd been attacked! And that collision had to have made it worse. "Starfire! What happened! Are you alright???"  
  
"Robin...I must find Robin," she whimpered and the sparkle was officially gone from her eyes.  
  
"Starfire! Answer me!" begged Raven, grabbing on to her friends upper arms to steady her. The voices were getting louder. Raven concentrated on rather or not it would be logical to fight for Starfire. Afterall, she couldn't save her before, what honestly made her think it was different?   
  
"We must go immediately to Robin! He can protect me," she assured but Raven didn't think so and wasn't going to move her injured friend. Those words shattered her hold on sanity. The guards were almost on them now and Raven quickly made the decision that could cost her more than just her life.  
  
"Starfire..." Raven's eyes were filling with tears of promise when the footsteps had come upon them. 


	2. Hero

Chapter Two:: Hero  
  
THANKS to SuperHeroLADY and HyDrOmAtIc for your reviews! You guys rock as well!  
  
Raven had let her best friend in any world down once, she wasn't going to do it again. Placing Starfire behind her Raven accidentally pushed her by the open wound on her side and as a result there was dark red blood dripping from her hand. Raven felt a very unusual sensation for her, nausea. She was looking at it when the room filled with the lights of starbolts in every color. Starfire was cringing as she hid behind her friend for support and watched the beautiful rainbows that were beginning to surround them. Her mind was starting to play tricks on her for in the light of a green bolt, similar to her own, and a red bolt that crossed each other she could have swore she saw Robin. A weak hand extended to him as she faintly whispered his name. Raven, who was shielding them with her powers, looked back at her comrade and then glanced over to where she was pointing. Sure as there is night and day he stood watching. His jaw was dangling open and he couldn't tear his eyes away from Starfire.  
  
"Robin!" shrieked Raven, crying for help and for Starfire's sake. She didn't think about the results. Every guard in the room turned on him and began firing his direction.  
  
"Get her out of here!" demanded Robin as he leapt away from the assault, but Starfire refused to move. Raven pushed violently and pulled even more furiously but the red headed girl made no movement whatsoever.  
  
"Robin, he will protect me Raven," she said quietly. Her eyes were going blank.  
  
"Damnit Starfire if you don't move no one will be able to save you because you'll die of blood loss!" she screamed. Suddenly Raven's mind berated her itself to use her healing powers. Raven reached to place a hand over the wound when it was grabbed firmly.  
  
"Get the princess out of here, now!" snarled Aunt Purefire. The guard who had fired orange starbolts helped to take her away. It wasn't as difficult for them as it had obviously been for Raven, who was also being held captive. The soldier who fire yellow starbolts came into Raven's face with a smirk.  
  
"You cannot have her. She is ours and will always be. Anyone who interfers will be destroyed," he said and lifted a hand. Raven tried to focus with everything she had, but it was no use. She turned her head and prepared herself for the blow. Robin chanced a look over to see if Starfire and Raven were handling things just as well as he was. These Tamarans really weren't the best fighters in the world, they were wicked powerful but not very well trained. What he saw was Raven being held while another readied a blow. Raven peaked her eye open and nearly gasped at the sight above her. The blow had been stopped by a very familar gloved hand.  
  
"Destroy this," said Robin and he used the yellow guard's attack on himself. The Tamaranian flew backward nearly six feet, making Raven worry over what that attack would have done to her while Robin took out her other captors.  
  
"Men!" summoned their captain and all the guards retreated with the tall burnette Purefire and a red object hidden in the crowd of soldiers who weren't attacking.  
  
"ROBIN!" screamed a pained voice that made his heart flutter. Starfire...  
  
"Starfire? STARFIRE?!!" he shrieked after them as they retreated but they were gone before he could even reach where they had been. He raced after them. He wouldn't lose her, not again! But they were too fast, their figures were becoming tiny specks in the distance and he was still moving faster than life. He stopped and stared after them. She was gone. Taken once more out of his reach. He fell to his knees and gaped at the carpet of the ship. He had let her be taken away. Raven's hand found it's way to his shoulder consolingly.  
  
"Come with me. I have a lot to tell you," she said and turned on her heel, heading for where Robin had come from. He was absolutely astonished. She wasn't even going to try to go after them. Why? She'd been in the attack before, why didn't she stop them then? Did she actually want Starfire to die? His mind slipped off into space, unconsciously contemplating the treacherous ideas he had just heard himself think. Raven would never do that. She was too honest, too honorable, and too good of a friend to Starfire to abandon her like that. His main corner stone for this was the image of her protecting Starfire before he'd gotten there. He looked back over his shoulder and saw her waiting on him impatiently. She had the answers he needed to get Starfire back....that's where she was. Every bone in his body told him this was the truth. Standing without looking back he followed his darker friend through the hallways and back to his room where Beast Boy and Cyborg were still sleeping.  
  
Meanwhile Starfire was being dragged on her heels, fighting with all her might, to go back to Robin. He could save her, he would love her, he would care what kind of breakfast she wanted instead of making her eat anything!!! Her mind was screaming to be with him while her body was screaming to give out. She wasn't sure which would happen first but she wanted it to be the first. Tears that were hotter than fire seemed to be leaking from her eyes.  
  
"Robin! Release me so that I may return to him!" she begged and yanked at the arm the orange-guard held. He winced as though he wanted to release her but did not. Starfire then let out a pained gasp half way through another call for Robin and toppled forward. The orange-guard was the only one to keep her from colliding with the floor. He held her alone as her eyes drifted blankly into space.  
  
"What is the matter with her?" asked Purefire with sincere worry.  
  
"Maybe she passed out from the excitement of battle?" suggested a foreign voice. Purefire turned on him with disdain.  
  
"Or maybe she's dying of blood loss you moron! Get her to her room immediately, I will go get the doctor," she snubbed and pounded her way through the group. The orange-guard held her tightly in his arms daring any of the others to take her away. He floated with her across the ship to the royal rooms of conference delegates and entered the door quietly. It didn't matter though because Nightfire, Bluefire, and Deepfire leapt up from where they were watching their own TV on their couch.  
  
"Greenfire! What...is that Starfire?" asked the towering Nightfire. Greenfire nodded and floated gently over to the closest bed. "Oh dear Tama! She's bleeding terribly! Get the first aid Bluefire," he ordered and followed worriedly.  
  
"What happened???" demanded Deepfire.  
  
"There was a battle. She escaped and Purefire sent us after her. I believe it was Moonfire that attacked her," he said and placed her gently on the bed. Nightfire bent over her, examining her wound and brushing the hair out of her pale face.  
  
"That son of a -- thank you Bluefire," he added and went to work on sewing up Starfire's wound. Starfire sturred with the first puncture and her eyes rolled distraughtly.  
  
"Why is she here??" asked Deepfire.  
  
"Her room is next door and Purefire had me bring her to her room while she went for the doctor," said Greenfire.  
  
"YOU IDIOT!" barked Nightfire as he suddenly ripped out her stitches. Starfire moaned loudly and tears poured out of her eyes. She was starting to black out when she heard Robin's voice returning her call... 'Starfire!! STARFIRE!!' It was keeping her alive.  
  
"What did you do that for?" squealed Bluefire.  
  
"If she's sent for the doctor and the doctor sees we've sewn her up we will not only be in danger but so will she. Fool!" he snarled and lifted Starfire into his arms.  
  
"R-Robin he-he-help," she stammered through fevered breaths. They all stared at her.  
  
"What does she mean? What is a robin?" asked Deepfire.  
  
"I think it's a bird. Why would she want a bird to help her?" asked Bluefire.  
  
"It's a person!" concluded Greenfire with sudden excitement. "There were two people she found before we caught up to her! One was cloaked in blue and the other was cloaked in many colors, but he was the one she was reaching out for!" he explained.  
  
"That has to be she meant," agreed Nightfire as he moved toward the door. Starfire's hair was dripping with sweat and she was staring at the walls as though it was Cyborg and Beast Boy playing a game. "But she asked for help? He couldn't possibly---"  
  
"Yes he could. He took out four guards with serious injurie before we could pull her away from the other. If there were more like him, the royal guards'll be doomed!" said perkily as he followed the other three men. Bluefire grinned and patted Greenfire on the back while Nightfire carried his cargo as carefully as possible into the next room over and laid her in her bed.  
  
"We need to get in touch with this Robin. You think he's one of the ones she came here with?"  
  
"Possibly. I can look into it," he said.  
  
"Well, I'm sure Purefire'll be here in any second so we should head back, no matter what stay with her and guard her. I don't trust the "queen"," mocked Nightfire. Deepfire nodded in agreement and Greenfire nodded back as he watched them leave the room. Starfire wasn't certain if she had seen any of what she thought she'd seen or heard any of what was going on around her correctly but she was in a bed and was resting. That itself ebbed away her worry for a small moment as she tried to collect her thoughts back together. Having the stitches ripped out caused her much more pain than originally obtaining the injury to begin with.  
  
The room felt like it was spinning for Robin, nearly four miles away on the same ship. Raven's words had thrown him for a loop before but this was the cake. Starfire was a princess???? And Daraow had used them and his message to get to her? So this was all his fault?  
  
"So this is all my fault?" he said aloud without realizing it himself.  
  
"No, we can't say this is anyone's fault. She didn't tell any of us," assured Cyborg.  
  
"But if it hadn't been for that damn machine I had to build instead of spending time with her I wouldn't have lost her!!" he shouted and slammed a fist to the bed where he was sitting. Beast Boy was pouting along with him.  
  
"The point is is she's gone...did she go willingly or was she taken, there's a big difference," he suddenly proposed. Raven had left the part of the kidnapp out.  
  
"She was taken. She fought, I fought. She was still taken. But I was thinking, if Daraow used us to get to Starfire and wanted us to get to Pludunn, why don't we go to this Pludunn for help?"  
  
"Because we can't tell if he is evil or not. Just because Daraow is evil and wants him gone doesn't make him good," pointed out Robin.  
  
"Well then what?" asked Raven irritatedly.  
  
"We wait until morning and confront Daraow. He'll take us to her...or he'll pay with his life," he growled and flopped back on his soft sheets. Beast Boy who was sitting on Robin's bed too, leaned back on his hands, realizing how soft Robin's sheets were compared to his.  
  
"Hey, dude! You've got like silk sheets! and mine are all like wool!" he complained. Cyborg was up in an instance.  
  
"Seriously??? Lemme feel! Hey, they really are soft! Dude you suck!" wailed Cyborg as he and Beast Boy assualted the sheets and rubbed them against their faces. Raven nearly fell off of Beast Boy's bed where she had been sitting. Robin gazed at the ceiling, listening to them.  
  
"Starfire did it. She said she wanted me to sleep on soft sheets so I'd sleep better...she was worried about me," he sighed and closed his eyes. Cyborg took the hint instantly. Robin was ready for some quiet time and probably some sleep. He tapped Beast Boy who, without question, crawled over Robin and went toward his own bed. Robin rolled over on his side, ignoring all the movement in the room. He had been right. She was hurt and scared and desperate to get away. Raven watched him silently for a few seconds before walking over to stand behind him.  
  
"She wanted you. That was where she was going when they hurt her. She was going to tell you she....well that she loved you and her secret when Daraow attacked. Robin, you have no idea what you mean to her...." said Raven encouragingly with a whisper before heading toward the door. She said some goodbyes and goodnights to the others and left. Robin opened his eyes. She had been trying to help Robin's emotions but it didn't work. Now all Robin could feel was guilt for making Starfire think they would stay with her even though she was a princess, guilt for making her feel so left out with that damn computer, guilt for not being around enough to notice what was happening with the one person he cared about most.... He was going to make it up to her, even if it took forever. Someone was going to pay and he was going to show Starfire how much he cared for her too, even if he wasn't sure how yet. Then again, he'd always see her tomorrow at the conference. A wicked gleam entered his eyes as he too formulated a plan to get his beloved away from her captors. 


	3. Time Now

Chapter Three:: Time Now  
  
THANKS AGAIN TO HyDrOmAtIc and SuperHeroLADY.  
  
Robin rolled over in bed once again as he had all the hours before. Only this time he was remembering the sight of Starfire reaching to him with a bloody hand. Raven had cleaned hers off in his room, but Robin couldn't watch her do it. It made him sick to remember what she looked like a mere two hours ago. He was berating himself for leaving her, for letting her get away instead of rushing to her and wrapping her up into his arms. He remembered the time she thought he didn't love her and she tried to leave, he made her feel guilty. He thought about it and this time he was the one making her feel unwanted and making himself feel guilty. He couldn't believe how stupid he'd been with her. He had worked so diligently on her training before he got word of this damn conference, then every moment of his time went into his machine. When she had been assualted by Slade it was her tears that told him to meet her same fate and take on the poison within his friends. It was her unwillingness to live in a world where he is evil that stopped him from even pretending he didn't care about his friends. That was how much she cared about him. And the others, she cared just as much for them. The time she had asked repeatedly to check on Raven stood out against his thoughts accompanied by her comment about shoveling something forever to get Cyborg back. He wanted things to be like that always. He couldn't count how many times he'd imagined always coming home to Starfire.  
  
He was coming home beaten and bleeding when Starfire rushed to him at the door. She lovingly and worriedly guided him to the couch and raced for the first aid kit. She tenderly touched his arms and blew on his wounds with sweet breath. He'd reward her kindess with a strong kiss, powerful enough to cripple her if she wasn't so strong herself. She'd give him the remote and a blanket, taking his suit for washing, and bringing him a cold drink while she left him some of whatever she ate for dinner on the table as she went to wash his clothes. Robin smiled to himself softly.  
  
Or there was the time when he came into the room and tackled her from behind, kissing the back of her neck fiercely and listening to her giggles as she gently fought to get away. He chased her around the kitchen for more, but she would fly up over head and they'd spend the rest of the night in a tag kissing match. They always ended up in Robin's room with her asleep, snoring, into his pillow while he typed frantically to make up the work he had forgotten in his chase. Robin closed his eyes tight. He had to make this up to her. He had to show her how much he loved her and wanted to be with her forever....suddenly an idea hit with such force he felt a gigantic grin coming across his face. He couldn't fight this one, it was powered by love and excitement. He couldn't wait to see her expression when he sprung this one on her, she'd have to forgive him...Meanwhile he had to figure out how to destroy Daraow for hurting her. Robin rolled onto his stomach as he thought this one through more thoroughly. Beast Boy was sleeping better, no shouting, and Cyborg only had the occassional snort that lasted five minutes. Everyone was calmed by the idea of getting not only revenge but Starfire back.  
  
Raven laid staring at the ceiling in her room. She wasn't down on herself like she had been before but comforted by the thoughts that Robin had voiced out loud. She could imagine Robin beating Daraow over the head with his staff until he passed out. She couldn't wait to see Starfire's expression when they came storming in to rescue her. She'd promise Starfire never to let her down again and they'd go straight to the mall and buy Raven something bright colored and girly, just to make up for her failure.  
  
Starfire opened her eyes half way. It was still dimly lit in her room, but she didn't recognize it. The thoughts came back to her of Raven and Robin fighting for her and the strange voices that had been in her head earlier. She could hear voices now, but were they the same. She was exhausted and in pain, but she crept her eyes open a little further. She saw Aunt Purefire sitting at the end of her bed creating the Tamaranian light shapes that only extremely dignified women could make with thier powers. She remembered trying to learn when she was younger but she hadn't had the heart. She was doing it for her mother and after her first lesson her mother died. She didn't see the point in them any longer if the one person she was doing it for couldn't see it. But her aunt wasn't alone, she could hear another voice in the distance in front of Purefire. She couldn't see them but she listened intently.  
  
"She will not corroporate if we don't do it Purefire," said a gruff voice strongly. Redfire! She knew it! She wanted to leap out of bed and hug him with everything in her body. "Starfire is just too damn smart now for our good. At least when she was on Tamaran we could stiffle her encounters with the outside world but now she's part of them. We have to be harder with her now and we don't have time. The conference is in the morning...if we want to pass her off decently we'll have to give her the medication," he added. Suddenly Starfire was not as inclined to hug her uncle.  
  
"So you are telling me that we don't have time to break her spirits, we should break her body?" asked Purefire. Redfire came into the light and Starfire closed her eyes quickly. They didn't know she was awake and if she could keep it that way, maybe she would learn enough to be able to get away again. Redfire made an affirmative noise and Starfire felt his fingers brushing the hair off her forehead. Chills went through her of anger. Since her father died only Robin had the right to touch her in such a way...now that she knew her family didn't love her as they said. "Fine...but I'll have to tell her the Titans left. She still wants to be with them, and telling her would make her more easy to work with."  
  
"I agree. Now come dear, we should get to bed before it's too late. I want you at your best tomorrow," he smiled and took Purefire out by the hand. Starfire waited for the door to close before she opened her eyes again. SHe hadn't moved in nearly five hours and her body felt stiff, but she still didn't move. She wanted Robin here, she needed him...did he know that? Did he know she had to be with him or she'd die? He had to know! She had to tell him. Mmm, that thought hurt. She was getting too worked up and she could feel some extremely sharp pains coming from her side. She was in new clothes that were cool and silky while she could tell her wound had been patched. That much she was happy over. She was so tired and so extremely sad that all her mind could think of was falling asleep with Robin like she had that once after her sister betrayed her. They were watching the TV after the battle and the others had all gone to bed leaving her and him alone. She put her head on his shoulder and before she knew what was happening she was fast asleep and he had left her there. She imagined her pillow was atop Robin's hard chest and that she was resting within his protective arms back at the Tower. With a soft sigh she was out again.  
  
Raven was the first to wake up of all the Titans. She meditated for strength in the events of the day and after an hour went to meet the boys for breakfast. She was counting the minutes until Daraow entered the room and saw the four of them together. She smirked to herself the whole way to the table.  
  
Starfire meanwhile was waking up with a jolt of a finger pressing into her skin harshly. Her eyes shot open and she jerked upright, sending pain shooting through her body. She gripped her side and it eased somewhat, but Purefire wasn't going to take it slow with her.  
  
"The conference is this morning. I bought you a dress," she said and pointed to the gown at the foot of her bed with a gently smile, " and I have asked the delegates to accompany you, since I do understand you don't understand everything about government yet," she added and moved away. Starfire watched her suspiciously. This was an unusual emotion for her, but she was getting used to it quickly. Her family wanted her dead so they could have the throne. If it hadn't been her home world she'd give it up to them and return to earth with Robin but...they were terrible people for doing this to her. Greenfire came toward her slowly and helped her sit up carefully in bed. She was more grateful to him for that simple action that she could have sang with joy. Purefire then came to the other side of the bed and smiled warmly.  
  
"I've made you some tea dear that will help with your pain, please drink it before getting dressed so that you'll be feeling okay during the conference. It would not look good for us to be there and leave suddenly," she encourage and set the tray with tea on it next to her bed. Starfire said nothing and gazed into space. Purefire seemed satisfied though, she didn't realize Starfire was waiting for her to tell her the Titans had left her here. "Oh and your friends have left the ship. They were angry over your secret and went home," she said. "I'm sorry for you dear, people are very misleading. Everything'll be okay once we get you home to Tamaran." Starfire bit her tongue in order to keep her mouth shut. She watched emotionlessly as her aunt busily left the room. Starfire lifted the tea glass she had left and stared at it. Greenfire, who had escorted Purefire out, turned around and was coming back when he saw her. He kept his voice calm.  
  
"I wouldn't drink that if you plan to stay alive very long," he said and went to the other side of the room to close the curtains. Starfire didn't look up, she just stared at the liquid.  
  
"I was not going to. I overheard them talking last night and they poisoned it," she said dryly. "I wish to return to my friends..."  
  
"Then, you don't believe what Purefire said?" he asked. He seemed to have actually believed it.  
  
"Not for an instance. Robin would never leave me behind, it is not his nature," she said simply and put the glass down. Greenfire looked at her with awe.  
  
"He is the one you kept calling out for last night. It was all we could do not to get you to say his name specifically around Purefire," he said and stood at attention at her side.  
  
"Then you are the one who I heard in my dreams last night...who were the others?"  
  
"Delegates you appointed to the conference," he said. "We supported the royal lineage, not Redfire and Purefire," he added strongly. Starfire looked at him surprised.  
  
"You mean ... they are attempting to take my father's throne as I believed?" she asked innocently. Greenfire smiled kindly and nodded.  
  
"That is right your majesty," he replied. Starfire looked down at her lap and cringed with pain. "We secretly keep the royal family above the others in the public eye," he smiled.  
  
"Then you can help me," she said sternly and looked him straight in the eye.  
  
Daraow, in the meantime, was coming into the buffet for breakfast, planning to meet the remaining Titans to attack Pludunn before the conference. At the sight of him Beast Boy started growling, a sure alert to the traitor's presence. Robin turned and looked at him enough so that Daraow knew where they were, but quickly turned back around and told the others to be cool. He then told them the basics of his plan and what they were supposed to do. Raven was enjoying the degrees of frustration on her enemy's face. Robin was smirking to himself with satisfaction and Cyborg knew by both their attitudes that this guy was going down no matter what happened. He eventually found himself smirking along while Beast Boy sat staring at them confused. 


	4. Unfolding Plans

Chapter Four  
  
This is for all of you who wanted another chapter! thanks for reviewing! I love you!  
  
Daraow came to the table and sat down with a gigantic smile on his face. He looked over all the titans at the table when his eyes fell finally on Raven. His shock was substantial before he turned to Robin who spoke softly.  
  
"Surprised? Thought you got rid of her?" he asked and sat back in his chair crossing his arms. Daraow blinked away his astonishment to see the group together, in fact he half expected to find Starfire sitting in the group.  
  
"What?! You tried to get rid of Raven?" wailed Beast Boy and Raven blushed. Cyborg noticed it and raised an eyebrow her direction as Robin answered.  
  
"And he got Starfire kidnapped," added Robin, never turning or blinking as he stared at Daraow. It was a intimidation technic he had learned solely by watching Batman work and from the way Daraow was putting on airs, it was working. Beast Boy's jaw dropped as Raven turned her head away from Cyborg and frowned.  
  
"You jerk! What'd they ever do to you! Why??" he demaned. Robin sat up and uncrossed his arms.  
  
"Money," he said simply. "Where's Starfire? Where do we find her?" he asked and raised an eyebrow himself as he waited.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about. I was wondering myself where she was," he lied. Robin glared and had to force himself to keep calm, otherwise his technic wouldn't last long.  
  
"Starfire..." he said slowly. "Tall red head with green eyes, Tamaranian," he added with a bite to his voice. Daraow acknowledged the bite with a cringe and squirmed, though he still refused to admit to anything.  
  
"I know who you are talking about, but I do not know where she is," he said flatly. Raven growled, freaking Beast Boy out at first. Then he looked at her confused and grinned proudly, she was learning fast.  
  
"Yes, you do. Stop lying. Robin knows." she said bluntly. Daraow looked at her harshly.  
  
"I don't know what the hell she's talking about, I haven't seen the Tama---" he tried to finish but Robin had leapt up onto the table and now had Daraow's collar stiffly in his grasp. There was a fierce snarl on his face and he was breathing deeply.  
  
Greenfire walked to the delegates room, relaying for the final time their proofed plans to get Starfire free from her uncle and aunt. Starfire was in her room getting ready for the conference. Under her dress she wore her purple titans uniform and neck band, but couldn't find a way to hide her wrist bands without being obvious so she unwillingly left them behind. Greenfire returned soon to inform her that their plan was in place and that the others would be there soon. Then he went on to ignite the plan into motion, by finding the titans and alerting Robin. Starfire watched him leave and imagined Robin's reaction. She didn't care what anybody said, he loved her and she would always love him.  
  
"Where is she!" barked Robin harshly in Daraow's face. He was loud enough that he had attracted the entire room's attention. Daraow frowned at the attention and wished that Robin would be silent, but Robin was furious and he was honestly afraid to try. "If you don't tell me I swear I'll--"  
  
"She's with her people where else would the princess be?" he questioned with a strained voice.  
  
"What....room?" he asked. Raven looked at Cyborg and Beast Boy, this was about to get ugly. Robin growled verbally at his foe. He wasn't answering. Robin knew this idoit was lying, but he wouldn't admit it, and the only thing that was keeping him from pounding his fat head in was the fact that he knew where to find Starfire. He should've trusted Star's instinct ont his one, but no...the Titans had to help. After this, he vowed to himself, they'd stick to earth. Besides there was no teling what kind of mayhem Slade or the various other criminals were subjecting Gotham to in his absence. Robin was just about to fill Daraow's face full of fist when an orange starbolt knocked Daraow out his grasp and away from the table. The titans and buffet audience gaped openly at the exxpressionless Greenfire.  
  
Starfire held her breath as she moved down the hallway slowly. Even though Bluefire and Nightfire were nearly brushing against her shoulders she wished these body guards of hers would come closer. It had obviously been a while since she had been treated like royalty because her cheeks were flaming with crimson and she struggled to walk "properly". Nightfire scanned the faces of their drawing audience carefully while Bluefire repeatedly flexed his fists. He was waiting on someone to attack and he was more than ready if they did. Deepfire thought similarly as he strode behind them. This crowed acted as though they'd never seen Tamaranian royalty before. Star's green eyes strayed off into the crowd, against her better judgement, to look for a sign of her friends. Perhaps Greenfire hadn't made it to Robin in time! She was running out of hallway for the Titans to ambush them on and her guards were getting anxious. Either way the faces of those around her who were clamoring in admiration, was beginning to completely embarass her.  
  
"Are you Robin?" asked Greenfire seriously.  
  
"Who's asking?" replied Robin suspiciously as he turned to face his generous stranger hatefully. He'd been looking forward to that punch. Greenfire suddenly shot out another attack at an arousing Daraow.  
  
"Tamaranian traitor!" he groaned as he flew three feet past his original landing site. None of the Titans looked away from Greenfire who had yet to answer.  
  
"What's he talking about traitor Tamaranian?" questioned Beast Boy under his breath. He didn't dare interrupt this silence.  
  
"This is one of the Tamaranians who took Starfire," explained Raven. Cyborg and Beast Boy glared at the intruder.  
  
"One of the one's who took Starfire huh? Maybe you're the one who blasted her side wide open? You see, we're not really too happy with having our friend kidnapped," said Robin snidely. Greenfire blinked.  
  
"How did you know I was there?" he asked astonished. Cyborg and Raven looked at each other in disbelief, while Beast Boy pointed insanely at Raven.  
  
"Um hello?" he said sarcastically and sighed. "How could you miss her?" Raven blushed at this and knocked her green sweetheart out of his chair.  
  
"And you know of the Princess' wound because she ran to you when she ran away," said Greenfire deductively. Beast Boy clamored back into his chair.  
  
"Nope, it's still hard to think of Star as a Princess," said Cyborg with conclusion in his voice.  
  
"If she ran to you then you must be the Robin of which she calls for," said Greenfire.  
  
"You think?" said Robin sarcastically.  
  
"I am Greenfire, the Princess sent me for you. Please follow me and I'll explain everything," smiled the guard. Robin leapt off the table and was quickly at Greenfire's side.  
  
"What do you know about Starfire?" he demanded.  
  
"I know where she is..." he said with another grin.  
  
"I don't know man, but I think we should trust this guy. He's a lot more friendly than that dude was," said Cyborg with a shrug. Raven came up next to him and the others.  
  
"I agree. He doesn't seem to want anything to do with hurting us and he was a little easier on Starfire than the other guy..." she said quietly.  
  
"I remember you. I did not harm you did I?" he asked quickly. Raven blinked with a blank expression. Beast Boy grinned.  
  
"That'd be a no," he said. Greenfire smiled broadly and it reminded Robin bitterly of his beloved. Together the group began to head out, going at full speeds to reach up with Starfire.  
  
"Please do not think that I would harm the Princess, any of you. It was my friend Whitefire than did injury to her ribs," he said as he looked around a corner they passes. Robin was following tightly behind but this was something he wanted to get to the bottom of.  
  
"You mean that other guy with the yellow starbolts?" asked Raven.  
  
"That's right," he said and sped up. Robin did the same, while in his mind he thought of what he would do that bastard with the yellow starbolts. 


End file.
